BOOK SIGNING
CRESTON BASEBALL The Creston baseball team honored its three seniors during a postseason awards banquet Tuesday night. For more on the Panthers, see SPORTS, page 7A. >>
Gibson Memorial Library is holding a book talk and signing with author Gina Marie Moore Monday. For more information, see page 2A. >>
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Vote shows Creston FD names new GOP problems assistant chief, fire marshal in replacing Obama health law CITY COUNCIL
CNA photo by SCOTT VICKER
Creston Firefighters Ted Kinyon, left, and Gary Thompson, on the truck, control the aerial ladder to fight a fire at 805 1/2 W. Jefferson St. in Creston July 2. Thompson, who has served as captain of Creston Fire Department for the past 10 years, was recently promoted to assistant fire chief and fire marshal.
By CARTER ECKL CNA staff reporter ceckl@crestonnews.com
Gary Thompson was officially named assistant fire chief and fire marshal on Tuesday. His promotion comes after nearly 18 years of service with the C r e s t o n Thompson Fire Department. The promotion was approved unanimously by city council July 18. The move comes a couple months after previous Assistant Fire Chief Mick Landers died from ampullary cancer, leaving big shoes to fill. “Mick was a very dedicated firefighter,” said Thomp-
son. “Can’t fill the shoes, it’ll just be different.” “Yes, it’s big shoes to fill,” said Fire Chief Todd Jackson. “But is he capable, absolutely.” Though Thompson’s title has changed, many of his duties will be similar to his previous role inside the department. Thompson’s main duties will be helping with inspections such as rental inspections, liquor license inspections and life safety review for construction. Thompson will also assist Jackson and the state fire marshal in fire investigations. “It’s my understanding that I’m going to be in charge of all the rental inspections,” said Thompson. “I’ll have a lot of the same responsibilities at the fire station and on scene, but this is just going to be the area that I specialize in.”
“He’s got the skills, he’s got a strong construction background with his electrical experience and stuff like that,” said Jackson. “So, inspections-wise he will be good and thorough. He’ll do fine.” The position was previously just the title of assistant fire chief, but the role has been modified to better serve the community of Creston. “We modified it this time and as I looked at it – more meaningful for Creston and our situ a t i o n , ” Jackson said Jackson. The move to name an assistant chief/fire marshal is a discussion that has been
CNA photo by SCOTT VICKER
Demolition: Bricks tumble to the ground Tuesday morning as Cody Waltersdorf uses an
excavator to tear down the south wall of the former rectory rerun building, located at 107 W. Howard St. in Creston, directly north of Holy Spirit Catholic Church. The rerun shop moved to its new location north of St. Malachy School in August 2015.
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“MICK was a very dedicated firefighter. Can’t fill the shoes. It’ll just be different.”
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GARY THOMPSON Assistant fire chief
ongoing statewide. Jackson said the demands of a constantly evolving society put expectations on the fire department to have a fire marshal. Thompson has been serving as a captain with the fire department for the past 10 years. The career firefighter was humble in speaking about his promotion. “A lot of the same responsibilities we had since Mick’s been gone,” said CITY | 2A
WASHINGTON (AP) — Where the Senate Republican effort to demolish the Obama health care law ends up is anyone’s guess, but early indications are the GOP will have a hard time replacing that statute with any sweeping changes. Senators planned to vote Wednesday on a Republican amendment repealing much of President Barack Obama’s law and giving Congress two years to concoct a replacement. A combination of solid Democratic opposition and Republicans unwilling to tear down the law without a replacement in hand were expected to defeat that plan. Late Tuesday night, the Senate voted 57-43 to block
a wide-ranging proposal by Majority Leader Mitch McConnell replacing Obama’s statute with a far more restrictive GOP subs t i t u t e . McConnell T h o s e voting no included nine Republicans, ranging from conservative Mike Lee of Utah to Maine moderate Susan Collins, in a roll call that raised questions about what if any reshaping of Obama’s law splintered Republicans can muster votes to achieve. VOTE | 2A
Man awarded $4.5M in age bias lawsuit against Iowa hospital GRINNELL (AP) — A jury has awarded $4.5 million to a former employee who sued an Iowa hospital for age bias and retaliation. The Des Moines Register reports that the jury’s decision Monday came after a 10-day trial of Grinnell Regional Medical Center and two administrators. The lawsuit brought by Gregory Hawkins said the hospital fired him in June 2015 from his post as lab director while in remission from
breast cancer and hired a younger replacement. His attorney alleged that Hawkins was targeted because he’d declined an order to retire following his initial diagnosis in November 2013. The hospital’s attorneys deny the firing and subsequent hiring of a new director had anything to do with Hawkins’ age or cancer diagnosis. A hospital spokeswoman says the hospital intends to appeal.
CNA photo by BAILEY POOLMAN
Showing off: Ivy Ecklund, with the Sand Creek Pioneers 4-H club, walks her returning
breeding bucket calf during the Union County Fair beef show held Tuesday at the fairgrounds show ring. Ivy won champion returning breeding bucket calf and Trevor Fry won reserve champion returning breeding bucket calf.
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Alex Felker, staff reporter